A building contractor has acknowledged that he likely breached consumer protection laws, after allegedly accepting payment for work at homes that he did not complete.
Consumer and Business Services allege that Mr Katsikas accepted payments exceeding $48,000 between February 2016 and March 2017, for building work on four properties which he began but failed to finish.
It is further alleged that Mr Katsikas performed work that was not permitted under his building work contractor’s licence, including paving, concreting and fencing.
Commissioner for Consumer Affairs, Dini Soulio, said that Mr Katsikas’ trading history and recent behaviour were taken into account when determining the appropriate action, noting that Mr Katsikas subsequently compensated all four consumers.
“Mr Katsikas has shown a willingness to remedy the situation, including repaying customers and voluntarily surrendering his licence,” Mr Soulio said.
“He has also held a building work contractor’s licence for many years prior to this without incident.”
Mr Katsikas entered into a written assurance with the Commissioner that states he will not conduct further business unless licensed to do so, and will not accept payment for goods and services that he is unable to deliver within a reasonable time.
A written assurance is a formal undertaking that may be used in certain circumstances, in place of enforcement actions such as prosecution or disciplinary action. A trader that fails to comply with an assurance may be liable for prosecution.
